Due to the customs of international rotation by region, Ecuador was elected as a member of the UN Security Council, and due to the same customs of rotation, it deserves the presidency of that Council next year in December, whose basic mission is the preservation of world peace. Always a serious responsibility, but much greater now that there are two armed conflicts, that of Russia and Ukraine, and that of Israel and the Palestinians in Gaza, in which the views of the members of the Security Council are divided, especially. permanent members who have the right of veto.

According to the information and concerns of the Association of Retired Diplomats, and the former Ecuadorian Minister of Foreign Affairs José Ayala Lasso, the new government should appoint an ambassador to the United Nations, who would therefore preside over the Security Council, a person without diplomatic experience. In such delicate times of bloody conflicts shaking the world, it would jeopardize the prestige of Ecuador and the person who would be appointed.

Think of the shock in the Security Council itself, which is made up of the world’s most experienced diplomats, when they see a man appear at their head whom they do not know and who does not even know them. Ecuador is entrusted with such a delicate mission and responds by appointing a foreigner. I think it would be like a foreigner without a pilot’s license starting to fly the plane in the middle of the flight.

Whoever chairs the Security Council must have training and experience similar to that of the Secretary General of the United Nations. Whoever presides, must coordinate positions, propose solutions, address journalists. At the moment, the position of ambassador is occupied by a person who, although not a career civil servant, has a high level of training in international law, obtained at Harvard University; It is in Ecuador’s best interest to maintain this representation under the current circumstances. You don’t change generals in the middle of a battle.

These days we see the very experienced UN Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, facing criticism from the parties to the conflict in Gaza for calling for a ceasefire and humanitarian law measures to protect the civilian population, to end the suffering. innocent people, children and women.

It would be very negative if the announced new foreign minister, who has no diplomatic experience, starts her administration with a false step.

All the representatives of the great powers in the Council are skilled, experienced diplomats, aware of the conflicts in which they are competing for supremacy in the world, centimeter by centimeter, and our country should not be out of step. If you act without haste, many solutions can be found. It is necessary for the person who is proposed for the position to gain previous experience. Offices around the world must be familiar with this entire process of appointing ambassadors; everything must be piled up in files. (OR)